Babar Azam waved on the ready media earlier than boarding the crew bus, whereas Mohammad Rizwan posed for the digicam for a couple of moments because the Pakistan crew touched base in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, forward of its marquee ODI World Cup fixture towards India on the Narendra Mondi Stadium.
Because the temperature soared to 34 levels within the metropolis, the Pakistani gamers had been escorted out of the airport round 4 p.m. via the particular VIP gate amid tight safety.
None of most of the people was allowed to enter the world.
Safety has been beefed up within the metropolis and the administration introduced that greater than 11,000 personnel of assorted companies – together with Gujarat Police, Nationwide Safety Guard (NSG), Fast Motion Drive (RAF) and residential guards amongst others – might be deployed within the metropolis and on the Stadium, main as much as the much-awaited match on Saturday.
To keep away from any untoward incident, the administration has put up strict safety measures in and across the crew lodge, situated within the coronary heart of the town.
With the 2 groups set to face one another on Indian soil after seven years, practically all resorts and visitor homes have been offered out on the time, with over 40,000 out-of-station followers anticipated within the metropolis.
The Indian crew lands right here on Thursday afternoon, after its group league recreation towards Afghanistan.
“There’s a enormous demand for tickets, and regardless of the ICC opening the web ticket window a couple of occasions, a number of spectators are but to get a ticket. Although most resorts are booked, followers from nooks and corners of the nation are calling us to inquire if there’s any lodging obtainable,” one of many hoteliers of the town stated.
The Pakistan crew hasn’t visited Ahmedabad since 2012, and after initially deciding to postpone his journey, the Pakistan Cricket Board Managing Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf introduced that he’ll journey to India on Thursday to witness the large recreation.
Earlier, about 60 Pakistani media personnel had been ready for his or her visa to cross the border and canopy the ICC occasion, forcing Zaka to take up the matter with the Pakistan international workplace.
Quickly after the PCB issued a press release confirming Zaka’s go to to India, a number of Pakistani sports activities journalists instructed Sportstar that they’ve been given a go-ahead and most of them are hoping to succeed in Ahmedabad by Friday as soon as they obtain the visa in hand.
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“I’ve delayed my journey to India, and I’m travelling tomorrow after receiving affirmation that Pakistan’s journalists have been requested to submit their passports to acquire visas to cowl the mega occasion. I’m glad that my dialog with the international workplace helped in attaining a optimistic growth relating to the visa delay,” Ashraf stated.
Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless no readability on when or whether or not the Pakistani followers might be issued visas.
On the sphere, Pakistan has had an ideal begin to the event, successful each its video games and Ashraf stated, “I’m travelling to India to encourage the crew, and my message to them earlier than the India contest might be to play fearlessly as they’ve been enjoying all through the occasion…”
“I’m extraordinarily happy with the way in which the gamers have carried out to this point within the World Cup, successful each matches. The PCB administration committee and your entire nation stand firmly behind the gamers for a profitable marketing campaign within the ongoing World Cup.”
After spending about two weeks in Hyderabad, the Pakistan crew is anticipated to hit the nets on the Motera on Thursday, amid heavy safety deployment.